Volunteer spotlight: Reading buddy enjoys time with children

Margaret Myers, or 'Miss Margaret,' poses for a photo last year with some of her second-grade students.

School finally has started, and many, many people have been preparing for the big day. This includes teachers and school employees, store employees (back-to-school sales), parents anxious for summer vacation to end, and - of course - the students. But let's not forget another priceless group of people - the volunteers.

Volunteers play a very important role in schools everywhere. From tutoring to bake sales; from classroom assistants to coaching assistants; from the PTA to the FFA - depending on your interests and schedule, there is guaranteed an opportunity to get involved in the school in your community.

Margaret Myers, or Miss Margaret as her students call her, has been volunteering at Adams-Friendship (A-F) Elementary School since October 2006 after retiring from Villa Pines Living Center, where she worked for 29½ years).

"I knew I wanted to keep busy," Myers said. "My neighbor was a second-grade teacher and asked me to be a reading buddy with her class, and that's where it all started."

According to Myers, being a volunteer reading buddy is easy. "The children read to me one at a time, and I help them if they need it," she said. "You can set your own hours, and they have many areas that they can use help."

The benefits are numerous. "I enjoy being at the school," she said. "The children are always glad to see me. They remember me from year to year. They give me hugs, and it's amazing to follow them and see their progress. They are so special and so are the teachers."

However, it's the students and teachers who benefit the most. Melissa Osborn, a second-grade teacher at A-F Elementary said, "Miss Margaret is a wonderful volunteer reading buddy! She came to read with my students every Tuesday during the last school year. She is so organized, she came in each morning with a list of students that she'd be reading with that day. She kept track of who she reads with so she didn't miss anyone and everyone gets equal time. The kids always remembered that on Tuesday it's Miss Margaret Day and they wanted to know who was on the list! 'Is it me?' they'd say. 'Am I on there? Do I get to read with Miss Margaret today?' They enjoyed sharing books they picked out to read to her - anything from chapter books, riddle books and non-fiction.

"Due to limited space, they would read in the hallway and anyone walking by would notice that she is a very special reading buddy that takes the time to get to know the kids and wants to help them improve their reading skills. She asks questions about the readings, helps them sound out words or figure out new vocabulary," Osborn said.

"As a teacher, I appreciate the time and caring effort Miss Margaret takes with my students. The students enjoy sharing their love of reading with such a caring adult," Osborn said.

Getting involved is easy. To volunteer at A-F Elementary, stop in the school office and fill out an application; or contact Wendy Ritchie, the school secretary and volunteer coordinator by calling her at 608-339-3016 or sending an email to ritchie_w@af.k12.wi.us. If you are a parent, you can just talk directly to your child's teacher. To volunteer anywhere in the Adams-Friendship Area School District, go to the district office and fill out an application (includes a background check).

Ritchie said, "We at A-F Elementary would love to have more parents and community members in our building to help with reading and math facts. We can use volunteers to help with special projects throughout the year like our school dance, fall photos or the annual fundraisers. We will do our best to fit the volunteer with a task that matches their skills. Most of the volunteers will be scheduled to assist in classrooms approximately three to four hours per week. We occasionally ask a volunteer to assist a whole day or more depending on the project at hand."

"Volunteering means helping others and it makes me feel good," Myers said. "I encourage others to donate a just a couple hours of your time per week. It will make you feel good, too."

The Volunteer Spotlight is a monthly feature. If your nonprofit organization has an outstanding volunteer, or group of volunteers, and would like to make a nomination, please call United Way of Inner Wisconsin's Volunteer Center at 715-421-0390.

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Volunteer spotlight: Reading buddy enjoys time with children

School finally has started, and many, many people have been preparing for the big day. This includes teachers and school employees, store employees (back-to-school sales), parents anxious for summer

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